Loom harness



Sept; 28, 1948. .1. J. KAUFMANN LOOM HARNESS Filed May 15, 1946 I .Fwwsiar:

170M Jcda Fatentecl Sept. 28, 1948 LOOM HARNESS John J acoh Kaufmann, Elkins Park, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 15, 1946, Serial No. 669,943

harness for controlling the warp ends during the weaying operations.

While this invention is particularly useful in connection with that type of harness which is used in installations where the warp ends are ,entered or inserted through the harness by means of automatic drawing-in machines, which are now more or less in common use in textile mills, nevertheless, the same is also applicable to the common forms of heddles which are made of thin fiat strips of metal. I-Ieddles of such types have a tendency to bunch together on the supporting rods instead of distributing themselves more or less equally along the same.

The undesired bunching of the heddles on their supporting rods not only interferes initially with the proper plating of the same, but also, when the heddles are in use in the heddle frames there is a tendency to form warp streaks in the cloth which is being woven whenever the heddles bunch together as above set forth.

The principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide heddles of an improved form whereby the tendency of the same to bunch together on their supporting rods will be eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide heddles of an improved form whereby the same will inherently tend to space themselves on the supporting rods.

A further object of the invention is to provide heddles, of the character aforesaid, which are particularly adaptable for use in installations in which the entering is done by automatic drawing-in machines.

The nature and characteristic features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of a heddle designed for use in installations in which an automatic drawing-in machine is used to enter the warp through the harness, and embodying the present invention, the rods upon which the same is mounted being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a companion heddle, the same being particularly adapted for use in connection with heddles of the form shown in Fig 1;

8 Claims. (Cl. 139-96) Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a group of heddles of the type shown in Figs. 1, and 2, showing how the same are mounted on their supporting rods in alternate arrangement for the purposes of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a group of heddles of modified form embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating another modified form of heddles embodying the present invention.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing are illustrative merely, and that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing, in the particular embodiment of the invention therein shown, Ill and ll are the usual heddle supporting rods which, as is well known to those familiar with this art, may be mounted, in any suitable manner, in harness frames of any preferred construction.

The heddles I2 and I3 are preferably made from thin flat strips of metal, initially of a uniform width corresponding to the widest portion of the heddle. The central portion M of each heddle [2 or I3, as the case may be, is preferably left the full width of the strip, as is also each end portion l5 thereof, but the parts It; of the heddles, between the central portions l4 and the respective end portions it, are sheared down to a considerably narrower width, thereby to provide greater flexibility in the heddles to permit proper manipulation thereof during the entering of the warp and also to reduce the Weight of the harness.

The central portion I i of each heddle is provided with the usual punched warp eye If, the shanks of which may, if desired, be formed in bowed conformation out of the main plane of the heddle proper.

The central portion it of each heddle is usually left the full width of the strip, for a greater length than would be required merely for the warp eye, to permit the punching above the warp eye ll, of a keyhole slot l8, which is provided When the warp is to be entered by means of a warp drawing-in machine.

In heddles of this type the central portion I4 of the heddle immediately below the warp eye I! is usually left the full width of the strip whereby the same may be engaged by parts of the mechanism of the drawing-in machine, which are used for twisting the heddle to enable the needle of the drawing-in machine to pass more freely through the warp eye l1.

Each of the end portions l5 of each of the heddles shown in the drawing, which as hereinabove mentioned are left the full width of the strip from which the heddle is formed, is punched out to provide a slot 19 for mounting the heddles I2 and I3 on the rods in and II, and one side portion thereof is cut away as at 20, substantially midway the extension of the slot [9, so that when the heddles I2 and I3 are slid sidewise on the rods and I l, they will pass freely without being obstructed by the bracket members (not shown) which are customarily employed forsupporting the heddle rods Ill and H intermediate the ends thereof.

The foregoing description is of a type of heddle described and shown in my previous Letters .Patent No. 2,047,511, dated January 14, 1936, and the novel features of the heddles as contemplated by the present invention will now be described.

15 of the heddle, whereas a'similar bend 22 is -proi vided {at the lower end of the wide central portion [5 in each of the heddles it. The extent of the bend in each heddle is slightly exaggerated in Fig. 3 'of the drawing for the purpose of better illustrating the same.

When the heddles bent, "as aforesaid, are mounted on the supporting rods 'lfl and I, the portion of each heddle 12 where the bend 2! occurs will bear against a flat "portion of the heddle [3 to the left, engaging the same abovethe warp eye I! thereof, and in similar manner, the portion of each heddle I3 where -the bend 22 occurs, will bear against a fiat portion of the heddle 12 to the left, engaging the same below the warp eye I1 thereof.

It will be noted the upper end of each heddle is will bear against the upper end of the heddle t2 to the left, and the lower "end of each heddle f3 will also bear against the lower end of the heddle E2 to the right. In this manner the central portions of the heddles, where the warp eye positions "are located, will normally be substantially equally spaced as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

hHowever, when pressure is applied to a group of heddles, as for example, by the follower bloc'k of the'drawing-inmachine, -the same may-becompressed "to fairly close relationship so that there will be no interference with the normal functioning of the selector mechanism of the drawing-in machine, and after the pressure of the follower-block is removed the heddles will spring apart and be distributed evenly -on their supporting rods and will so remain during the normal operation of the loom.

In Fig. '4 of the drawing there is shown a group of heddle of modified form, but embodying the present invention. In this instance each alternate heddle t2 is straight from end to end, or at least in and adjacent the central portion 14 thereof, and the other alternates [3 are each bent as at 23, at a very slight ang1e,-at or about the upper end of the wide central portion .15 in which the warp-eye I1 i located, and likewise a similar bend is made as at 24, at the lower end of the 'ilv ide central portion 14 'of 'each of said heddles u.

When the heddles bent as aforesaid, are mounted on the supporting rods It and "i l, the

portion of each heddle I3 where the bend 23 occurs, will bear against a flat portion of the he'ddle [2 to the right, engaging the same above the warp eye I! thereof, and in similar mannenthe portion of each heddle l3 where the bend 24 occurs, will bear against a flat portion of the heddle l2 to the left, engaging the same below the warp eye I 1 thereof.

It will be noted that in this instance, the upper end of each of the heddle [3 will bear against the upper end of the heddle I2 to the left, and the lower end of each heddle [3 will bear against the lower end of the heddle I2 to the right. In this arrangement also, the central portion of the heddles where the Warp eyes I! are located will normally be equally spaced as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, there is shown a group of heddles of another modified form. In

this instance, each alternate heddle 12 is provided with a bend at 25 above the warp ieye I1, and with a bend 26 below the warp ieye, preferably located at the upper andlower ends, respectivel-y, of the wide central portion i5 thereof, and each of the other alternate heddles 13* is :provided with a bend '21 above the warp eye 11, and with a bend 28 below said warp-eye. Inrthi .instance, the bend 25 of each heddle L2 will bear against the bend 2'! of the "heddle 13 to the left, whereas the :bend 26 of each heddle [2 will bear against the bend 2B of the heddle it to the right.

In this instance, it will be noted that the upper end of each heddle 13 will bear against the upper end of the heddle W to the left, and thelower end of eachheddle :l3 -wi-1-l-beaa against the lower end of the heddle 12 to the right. Here again, the central portions of the heddles where the warp eyes Il 'l are located will'normall y be equally spaced, as shown .in'Figs5 of the-drawing.

It will, of course, be readily understood that various other arrangements of imilarly bent heddles may be devised .in accordance with the present invention, and that the same is not to :be limited to the several'forms specificallyshown by way of example.

It is, of course, Well known that heddles :have been heretofore bent ;in various ways at the (end portions thereof for "the purpose :of spacing the same, but such bends have always been located above :and below the shed lines, and it is believed that the bending of the heddles in :the manner contemplated in the present invention has not heretofore been used. The bend referred :to :is

an actual bend, although ofsmallangulareirtent, and should not be confused with the Iheddles :of

the types in which offsets are :used in 'various ways and locations for the purpose of spacing the heddles.

I claim:

1. In loom harness-a plurality of zheddlesrmade of thin flat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting :the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alternate heddle being provided with a slight bend :adjacent the warp-eye, andsaid bend being adapted to bear against a portion of an adjacent ":heddle to resiliently space the heddles.

2. In loom harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin fiat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and witha warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alt'ernate heddle being provided with a slight bend adjacent the warp eye, and said bend being adapted to bear against a straight portion of an adjacent heddle to resiliently space the heddles.

3. In loom harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin fiat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alternate heddle being provided with a slight bend adjacent and above the warp eye, each of the other alternate heddles being provided with a slight bend adjacent and below the warp eye, and the bends of each heddle being adapted to bear against a portion of an adjacent heddle to resiliently space the heddles.

4. In loom harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin flat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alternate heddle being provided with a slight bend adjacent and above the warp eye, each of the other alternate heddles being provided with a slight bend adjacent and below the warp eye, and the bends of each heddle being adapted to bear against a straight portion of an adjacent heddle on one side to resiliently space the heddles.

5. In loom harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin flat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alternate heddle being provided with slight bends adjacent the warp eye, one of said bends being above and the other below the warp eye, and said bends being adapted to bear against portions of the adjacent heddles on each side to resiliently space the heddles.

6. In 100m harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin flat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alternate heddle being provided with slight bends adjacent the warp eye, one of said bends being above and the other below the warp eye, and said bends being adapted to bear against straight portions of the adjacent heddles on each side to resiliently space the heddles.

7. In loom harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin flat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each of said heddles being provided with slight bends adjacent the warp eye, one of said bends being above and the other below the warp eye, and said bends of each heddle being adapted to bear against the correspondingly located bends of the adjacent heddle on each side to resiliently space the heddles.

8. In loom harness, a plurality of heddles made of thin fiat strips of metal each provided with means at the top and bottom for mounting the same in the heddle frames and with a warp eye intermediate the top and bottom, each alternate heddle being provided with slight bends adjacent the warp eye, one of said bends being above and the other below the warp eye, each of the other alternate heddles being provided with similar but oppositely disposed bends adjacent the warp eye, the bends of each heddle being adapted to bear against the correspondingly located bends of the adjacent heddle on each side to resiliently space the heddles.

JOHN JACOB KAUFMAN'N.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kaufmann Aug. 26, 1947 

